Family Turns Texting While Driving Tragedy Into Crusade

Family Turns Texting While Driving Tragedy Into Crusade

Years after Wellman teen 17-year old Alexandria Brown died in a car
accident in 2009 caused by texting and driving, her family is still
active in a movement to get drivers to put the phone downs and "Remember
Alex Brown."

WELLMAN -- Years after Wellman teen 17-year old Alexandria Brown died in a car accident in 2009 caused by texting and driving, her family is still active in a movement to get drivers to put the phone downs and "Remember Alex Brown."

The accident happened while Alex was driving down a narrow back road headed to school. When she didn't show up for class her mother went looking for her and found her daughter and her beaten up truck in an empty field.

Alex was your typical teenager. She was finishing her senior year in high school and was excited about going to college. It was her goal to be a TV reporter. Instead of telling the news, she unfortunately made the news.

The no texting and driving lesson came too late for her.

Her mother Jeanne Brown admits she hasn't always been too concerned with texting and driving. As a matter of fact, she too used to do it.

Ever since Alex was thrown from her truck and crushed by it, the entire family has made it a top concern.

The news of Alex's death hit hard for little sister Katrina Brown. She was only 11 years old.

"I mean my vocabulary narrowed down to one word and it was no." All I remember is that I had my jacket on the table and I just fell into it and started bawling," said Katrina.

Alex's death shocked the family and the community. It sent the family on a mission to spread the word and give a lesson to those that still have a chance to learn the potentially dangerous cost of texting and driving.

"A lot of people don't realize how hard it is emotionally on us to continually talk about Alex's death."... "I mean this hurts so bad, I can't imagine another family having to go through this," said Mrs. Brown.

The Brown family travels all across the country taking with them Alex's beaten up truck. Hoping it will serve as a reminder to "Remember Alex Brown", but to mainly get people to remember " Don't Text and Drive."

"If we can talk about this and get one other person to understand so they'll make different choices so they're not in a wreck like that, because of that choice, it's worth it. It's worth talking about," said Mrs. Brown.

Little sister Katrina is also talking about it. She still isn't old enough to drive, however for her friends that are learning to drive, her message rings clear.

She said, "When they get to drive, I'm gonna hurt them if I find out that they're using their phones when they've stood by me when all this happened."

For the Browns, they say it's worth traveling clear across the county and back again to save at least one more life.

The Brown family has fully dedicated themselves to this cause. Mrs. Brown is fully engaged in the cause, while Katrina is being home school to allow freedom to travel and speak on behalf of Alex. In 2011, the Brown's went to the Texas Legislature to push for a statewide texting and driving ban. It was vetoed by Governor Rick Perry.